Cuddles and Custard
by amessoffand0ms
Summary: After a long day at work, there's one place where River wants to be.


Cuddles and Custard

The Doctor and his wife were staying with Amy and Rory. It was late October, River used the Tardis to commute to the university she taught at every day and her husband often went with her, or went with Rory to the hospital.

He was popular on the children's ward, telling them stories of space and time. It warmed his hearts to see their little faces light up with excitement, so he went there almost every day. When he wasn't with River, the Doctor helped Amy to type up newspaper articles- something which he found very boring.

It was a chilly Tuesday night. The Doctor was watching a quiz show and scowling or shouting at the TV whenever a contestant got an answer wrong, despite Amy telling him that the people on the box couldn't hear him. Rory was on the night shift, all was peaceful in the Williams/Song household.

The familiar "vroorp, vroorp" of the Tardis signalled River's arrival. The Doctor smiled, put the TV off, and waited for his wife.

"Hello? Anyone home?" River called.

"In here!" Amy called from her study, in between the kitchen and the living room.

River greeted her mother, and the two chatted about their day, and then made their way into the living room.

The Doctor sprang up. "River! I missed you today." He said, kissing her on the cheek.

"Hello Sweetie, I missed you too." Replied his wife, taking his hand in hers.

"Now that River's back, we can discuss tea. D'you fancy fish and chips?" Amy asked, perching on the side of an armchair.

River sat down on the sofa, her husband following suit. "Yeah, okay."

The Doctor nodded in agreement. "As long as I can have custard with my fish."

"I think that I'll join you with that one. Right, I'll go out and get it. Won't be long." Replied Amy, made her way out of the room, grabbed her bag and jacket, and was gone.

River cuddled into her husband, kissing his cheek gently. "I missed you, my love."

"I missed you too." He replied, gazing at her. "Rory's been asleep all day, so I've had to watch daytime television. Amy got annoyed because I kept shouting at it."

His wife chuckled. "I love you."

"And I love you." He replied.

River got her phone out of her pocket and checked the weather forecast for Leadworth. With a frown, she placed her device on the sofa arm next to her.

"What's the matter?" Her husband asked with a frown.

"Can we sleep in the Tardis tonight? It's just that it's going to storm later on.

The Doctor frowned again. "You were imprisoned on a planet called Storm cage, you're telling me that you're scared of thunder?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact." She snapped, switching her phone screen on again and tapping away, ignoring him.

"Oh River, I'm sorry. I'm not very sensitive at times." Sometimes the Doctor forgot that, even though River was very brave and had even shot a Dalek, she was still afraid of some things. He gently rubbed her arm, hoping that she'd talk to him.

River turned towards him. "Tell me something I don't know. I love you." She said, and snuggled back into him.

He breathed sigh of relief. "I love you too."

"You know, all I wanted today was to be here, in your arms. It's where I feel safest." His wife replied, turning so she was facing him and her face was nuzzled into his neck.

He wrapped his arms around her. "I'm glad."

The pair stayed like that for a while, basking in each other's company.

The sound of the front door alerted them to the fact that Amy was back. River yawned and stretched. "That's our peace and quiet over." She chuckled.

"Don't let your mum hear you say that else you'll be grounded." Her husband laughed, standing up. "I'm going to make some custard up."

"Don't burn it like you did last time!"

A while later...

The three were finishing off their tea, they were sat in the living room watching a nature documentary of River's choice.

"River, you could go back and watch this be filmed if you wanted, why are you watching it on the TV?" Amy, who was dividing her attention between the TV and her phone, asked.

"It's safer. I might create havoc if I see it being filmed." Her daughter stated.

The Doctor kissed his wife's forehead. "She already creates enough havoc, we don't need any extra."

"Ah." His best friend replied.

River glanced at the clock on the wall- quarter to eight, she was already ready for bed. "Sweetie?" She asked with a yawn.

"Yes, my love?" The Doctor asked, kissing her forehead.

"It's nearly time for the storm, and I'm exhausted-can we go to bed?" She asked.

"Yeah, okay." He replied, stretching. "Amy, we're going to sleep on the Tardis."

The ginger nodded. "I understand, you two need alone time."

"Actually mother, I'm scared of thunder and won't be able to hear it when I'm in the Tardis." River decided to come straight out with it.

"But..." Amy frowned. The Doctor shot her a look to tell her not to ask any more. "Okay. Well, I'll sleep in mine and Rory's room on there, then."

"Okay." The Doctor nodded, standing up, his wife followed closely. "Goodnight."

"Night, mum." River gave her mum a hug. "Love you."

"I love you too, Melody."

River took her husband's hand and the couple made their way into the hall where the Tardis was parked.

The Doctor opened the doors with his free hand and they went inside.

River yawned again, she really was tired out.

Her husband kissed her cheek. "Come on, love. It's time for bed."

"I like the sound of that." She wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled into his chest. "Stay here for a moment."

The Doctor held her close, smiling to himself. When she was tired, River became very soppy-she'd deny it if he told anyone else, though!


End file.
